Biblica_1_Layout 1 20/01/12 11:44 Pagina 594 594 ALICIA D. MYERS characteristics, combined with the scriptural support interwoven into the prologue, establish the foundation for Jesus’ behavior throughout the rest of the Gospel. Corresponding to rhetorical expectations of appropriateness, then, it is not surprising that the words attributed to Jesus in the Fourth Gospel conform to this identity, rather than to the appearance seen by other characters within the Gospel. It is also not surprising, therefore, that Jesus’ behavior continually confounds those who encounter him in brief episodes within the narrative. His behavior does not fit his physical appearance, but rather his true iden- tity from the prologue. The result is tension and confusion between Jesus and other characters in the text who have face-to-face access to him. For the audience, however, the result is a consistent portrait of Jesus based on the Gospel’s introduction. Indeed, from the audience’s point of view, for Jesus to speak in any other way than he does would be inappropriate — and therefore unconvincing — since it would not be congruent with the character outlined in the prologue. This fact is true, even for the troubling dialogue in John 8. In John 8,54-55, Jesus himself emphasizes this fact when he says that for him to speak any differently would cast him in the role of a liar. Thus, when Jesus says “before Abraham was I am” in 8,58 he speaks in accordance with his character as the logos of God who “was” (h]n) since the beginning (1,1-2; cf. 8,56-58). From the per- spective of the entire narrative, Jesus’ existence as the logos pre- dates not only Abraham but all scriptural figures and events. When Jesus explains his focus on the glorification of his Father in 8,49- 50, his words are consistent with his existence as the one who uniquely embodies and emanates God’s glory from 1,14-16. When he alienates the crowd in the narrative by claiming the ability to give life to all who believe in him in 8,51, he does so as the one in whom all life originated (1,3-5). All these statements contrast sharply with the expectations of the characters gathered around Jesus in the text who puzzle over his assertions and cringe at his harsh words. Nevertheless, for the Gospel audience, such state- ments are completely in accordance with the character set before them from the very beginning of the bios, and any capitulations to the characters in the text would threaten to undermine this por- trayal. Paradoxically then, it is the fact that Jesus’ words are so in- appropriate for the other characters in the text that contributes to the overall believability of the Gospel for its audience. Such a realiza- tion does not, however, justify past (and present) misuses of John